Friday, November 20, 2009

I was beyond thrilled when Elisa from Toot Sweet Handbags contacted me about a giveaway. Besides being one of the sweetest, most helpful, and most excited Etsy women I've ever worked with, her creations are adorable and must-haves (not to mention PERFECT gifts for birthdays and holidays!)

Elisa has been crafting and creating for as long as she can remember, but Toot Sweet Handbags started with a bet: Given her LOVE of handbags Elisa's husband bet her that she couldn’t resist buying a handbag for a year. She lasted for three months but by then she was ready to buy a new bag.

Elisa's smart husband said that she would not break the rules if she made a bag, as long as she didn’t buy the materials to make the bag. And, that, my lovely readers is how Elisa got started upcycling clothing into handbags!

Her friends all loved the bag and encouraged her to make more and sell them. She found Etsy and now you all get to see her gorgeous handbags and accessories in her Toot Sweet Handbags store. (In case you were wondering, Elisa won the bet, and her husband bought her a new Singer Confidence Quilter sewing machine as her winner’s reward!).

As a self-described eco-freak, Elisa feels everyone can do their part to ease the impact we have on the earth. She personally finds it just as easy to recycle as to trash, to reuse as to buy new. And so she does the same in her designs. Elisa searches thrift stores for the best fabrics and patterns on skirts and blouses, and uses Etsy to buy awesome vintage fabrics.

Elisa also finds remnants from the fabric store and from past projects to create the smaller items you see in Toot Sweet Handbags--their uniqueness never ceases to amaze her. Because of the garments and fabrics Elisa finds, you’ll never find another handbag like the ones sold at Toot Sweet Handbags.

Elisa lives in a sunny Florida beach town with her husband and 2 crazy cats, and they keep pretty busy. She works full time at an engineering firm, so creating happens in the evenings and weekends. In their spare time, they enjoy going to the beach, eating sushi, reading books, and pretending that they can understand what their cats are trying to say to them (ha!).

Well, lucky for you, Elisa is giving all Monkeys on the Bed! readers 15% off any purchase from now through Saturday, November 28. AND FREE SHIPPING. WOW! That would make these keyfobs are only $5.52 and this Renee clutch only $28.90!

Wow, how to choose just one?!?! I love the Autumn Plaid Kari handbag!! But I have been looking at the wristlets, too, and might be sending Santa a little list...can't hurt to ask, right? :) Hope he thinks I've been a good girl!